AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY 7^th NOVEMBER 2016, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY AT 7.30PM.

Present: Mr D Purnell (Chairman), Mr K Brown, Mrs J Burton, Mr S Hale, Mr D Palmer.

District Councillors: Mr K Tucker

The Clerk: Mrs E Oakley

Three members of the public were present.

The Chairman opened the Parish Council Meeting.

1. The Chairman invited apologies. Apologies were received and accepted from, Cllr C Braun, Cllr G Butcher, Cllr J Cordwell, Cllr K Larkin, Cllr Les Smitherman.

2. Declaration of Interests. The Chairman invited members to declare any Interests relating to this Meeting. Cllr D Palmer declared an interest in Agenda Item 6. (S.16/2204/HHOLD).

3. The Council approved and signed the Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 3 October 2016 as a true record. The Minutes of the October Ordinary Meeting of the Council had previously been distributed to all members and displayed on the public notice boards and the website. All members agreed the Minutes should be signed, as a true and accurate record. The Minutes were duly signed by the Chairman.

4. The Council noted matters arising from the Minutes not covered by agenda items. The Clerk referred to her Update Note which she spoke to at the Meeting. She advised:

• New Parish Council Website. She had worked with ICT Vision to continue updates to the new design and software ahead of the launch on the 1^st December. (Agenda Item)

• Crime. A very useful summary of local scams on-line and in person and how to deal with them was received and circulated to councillors and forwarded to On The Edge.

• Finance. The Clerk had attended the GAPTC Budget and Precept setting course on the 11th of October. This outlined the main budget issues and yearly financial planning cycle.

• Budget and Precept. The Clerk had identified the key Council Minute that brings forward the draft budget from last financial year to this. She had also drafted a budget issues report to be considered at an autumn finance, budget and precept setting, meeting. This report incorporates the key minutes taken by the previous Clerk at Council meetings towards planning following the sale of the Breakheart hill land. It also includes new information on inflation and interest rates.

• Banking. The Clerk had decided not to adopt on-line banking for the interim mainly due to warnings in the press. On the 26^th October, The Times reported, “Losses from on-line banking fraud jumped 64 per cent last year to £133.5 million. Losses from phone banking increased by 28 per cent to £323.3 million”.

• Community Speed Watch Group. The Clerk had informed the Police & Crime Commissioner Fund of the Council’s decision for a grant to purchase equipment. (Option 1 on the schedule). They have added the Council to their Finance system and The Clerk had just received a purchase order number. The next stage is to raise an invoice on Council headed notepaper.

• Pension. The Clerk had written to the Pensions Regulator attaching correspondence with the Chairman on Automatic Pension Enrolment. As an eligible employee the Clerk had the right to request a pension provision but decided not to action this for the reasons given in the correspondence. (Minutes, October Council 2016 Council meeting).

• CILCA Mentoring programme. The Clerk attended session 1 (of 4) sessions on the 28^th October. The day covered the expectations of the CILCA qualification itself which takes a year after formal Registration. The learning system has been improved in that an on-line Portfolio replaces a hard copy version. Session 1 covered: finance, role of chair and legal frameworks.

• Defibrillator. The Clerk had received a general circular concerning a manufacturer’s fault with some brand of defibrillators. However, after further research it was agreed this did not affect the Parish Council’s model. The Chairman and The Clerk had tested this outside the village hall in October. The Clerk had spoken to Community Heartbeat with respect to regular monitoring and checks and had received quotes for the cost of the annual service. (Agenda Item, January 2017).

• Cemetery. The hedges have been cut and the lower branches of the oak tree also trimmed on both cemetery and road sides (Agenda Item).

• Repairs to St. Martin’s Churchyard wall. The Clerk was advised by Gideon Ayres that the wall will need regular monitoring following repairs to a key section this autumn (Agenda item).

• Archiving: The Clerk had made an appointment with Gloucestershire Archives for mid-November to deliver the 20 plus items (as per original schedule less the Breakheart land sale items) as the first stage of archiving. Archives only take deposits on certain days. There is no cost to the Council for this service.

• North Nibley Calendar. The theme for next year is the Tyndale Monument. The Clerk had supplied several photos for consideration including some taken at the 1^st October 2016 150^th anniversary event.

The Chairman closed the Meeting for Public Discussion and Questions.

4. Meeting for Public Discussion and Questions. (Open to members of the public to raise issues and ask questions.) Three parishioners were in attendance to provide councillors with a question and answer opportunity with reference to Planning Item: S.16/2188/FUL.

The Chairman re-opened the Meeting without further discussion.

4. To consider and comment upon Planning Application

• S.16/2188/FUL Land adjacent to Southwold, Bournstream, Wotton Under Edge, Full Planning Permission, New agricultural dwelling and garage.

The Council supported this application. Councillors considered there are security advantages associated with a residential property on site. Additionally, this was a proven and substantial business operating over many years that would benefit from the proposed development. The development would meet criteria under CP14 for high quality sustainable development. Whilst North Nibley is a Third Tier (accessible settlement with limited facilities), Core Policy 3, this development would be in keeping with CP3 but would also enable sustainable development under CP14.

• S.16/2228/LBC Millmans Farm, Wotton Road, North Nibley, Listed Building Consent. Change of use and alternations to Stable and Store to form one dwelling; alterations to Dovecote (previously approved as ancillary accommodation adjacent to Millmans Farmhouse); alterations to old Barn and Long Barn (Previously approved as new dwellings). New single track access.

The Council agreed to make no comment on this application.

• S.16/2227/FUL Millmans Farm, Wotton Road, North Nibley. Full Planning Permission. Resubmission of S.16/0759/FUL for Change of use and alterations to 'Stable and Store' to form one dwelling; alterations to Dovecote (previously approved as ancillary accommodation adjacent to Millmans Farmhouse); alterations to Old Barn and Long Barn (previously approved as new dwellings). New single track access. The Council agreed to make no comment on this application.

• S.16/2204/HHOLD Mount Pleasant, Forthay, North Nibley, Dursley. Householder Application. Two storey extension, internal alterations, external works and external cladding to existing property. Replacement garage. Replacement roof to bay window and widening of driveway. (Cllr D Palmer retired from the meeting for this item). The Council agreed to make no comment on this application.

• S.16/2314/FUL Church Cottage, Frog Lane, North Nibley, Dursley. Full Planning Permission. Barn 1 - Change of use of agricultural barn to C3 dwelling and associated works. Barn 2 - Retention of re-instated outbuilding and conversion to detached residential annex / holiday let and associated works. Use of an existing access.

Councillors Comments: Councillors requested a Highways Report for this application and raised concerns about the access from the lane of the proposed development onto the main through route to the A38. This route was subject to increased traffic at most times of the day over the last few years and operated less as a country lane than a main through route and also incurred traffic associated with the nearby school. The main through route also experienced parking in the vicinity of the churchyard virtually opposite the access lane to this proposed development. There was also increased footfall along this route at school drop off and leave times. Councillors were also concerned about limited visibility from the lane turning right onto the main through route. A red and black structure at this junction limited visibility (as almost an obstruction). The possibility of a mirror construction opposite the entrance need be considered. Visibility was also poor due to the strong right hand curve of the highway away from the entrance/exit of the lane. Councillors also raised the question as to whether one or more of the two barns in this proposed development were sited outside the settlement boundary/envelope.

4. The Council noted that the following Planning Applications have been approved by Stroud DC Planning.

• S.16/2159/MINAM. Iona Pitt Court, North Nibley, Dursley. Replace brick chimney with stainless steel flu. Councillors noted Approval had been given for this application.

4. The Council received a written report by District Councillor G Butcher from District Councillor K Tucker (verbally) on behalf of the ward’s District Councillors. (See Report aside). The Chairman thanked Councillors Butcher and Tucker for the report submitted and noted Cllr Butcher’s apologies for the meeting. Cllr Tucker drew attention to the vacancy at North Nibley School for a governor, who preferably had local knowledge, and legal and education expertise. He reported he had attended the last two meetings on mineral deposits. The District authority was looking to draw more tourists into the area who may otherwise pass through on route to London, Bath and Stratford. Cllr Jane Burton agreed to attend the next meeting.

Cllr K Tucker reported that the new waste and recycling scheme was progressing well but it had been difficult to have a one size fits all scheme for all 20,000 houses in the area. Cllr D Palmer requested lids for the existing green boxes for paper and cardboard as they had not arrived to date despite twice requesting. Cllr K Tucker undertook to ask for these and report the result. Many householders have said they wanted bins not bags. The disabled have been asked to try bins. Food collection has been double what was expected. This goes to the food digester.

A decision was awaited on Hollywell Farm by the 22^nd November. The new university technical college at Berkeley was taking Years 10 and 11 from 2017 onto GCSE and other programmes including cyber security, nuclear industries, and related technical courses in the old Berkeley labs. Councillors agreed that more new technical colleges were needed.

4. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. (See report aside). The Chairman thanked Councillor Cordwell for his written report submitted.

4. The Chairman invited Parish Councillors to report back on meetings they had attended.

• Parish Councillor Ken Brown reported that he had met Mark Hemmings (District Council Arboriculture Officer) in the churchyard (St Martin’s) on the 10^th October to discuss the Holm Oak growing bigger than its site. The family had been approached and had now responded. They agreed to the tree removal. A stone plaque will remain. The PCC had received quotations for the work needed.

• Parish Councillor Ken Brown reported that he had discussed the trees on The Knoll with Mark Hemmings. It had been agreed to, “Mark the trees to cut down”, but to wait until the leaves had fallen off the trees before cutting. The most common question received from parishioners was, “When do we get the monument back?” Two viewpoints had been planned overlooking the Severn as soon as the leaves came off.

• Parish Councillor Dave Palmer and councillors noted the regrowth on The Knoll. Cllr D Purnell undertook to speak to the person responsible for clearing the steep sides of Stinchcombe Hill. Cllr Ken Brown also noted the Pillcourt hedges needed cutting back and Cllr D Palmer undertook to report for John Lane’s attention and to request a site meeting with Highways to view.

• The Clerk reported she had been approached by the new Village Agent for North Nibley to arrange a local meeting. It was also planned to invite her to meet Councillors for a short question and answer session at, either the December 2016 or January 2017, Council meetings.

• Cllr Dave Purnell, Chairman, reported that he had taken a Chairman’s decision to purchase a wreath on behalf of the Council to be laid at the war memorial in the Wotton Rd cemetery on Remembrance Day. Councillors agreed the wreath be purchased under the Chairman’s budget and the request for payment be added to the Payments Schedule at Item 11 below. Cllr D Palmer offered to lay the wreath at 10.45 am on the 13^th of November.

4. Finances.

(1)The Council approved the following Invoices and drew up cheques for items submitted on the enclosed Payments Schedule.

• TW Hawkins & Sons. Edge around memorial plaques and cut and clear area to side of memorial garden. £240.00

• GAPTC Budget and Precept Setting workshop, 11^th October £35.00

• Garden Supplies (Ian Hall), cutting cemetery hedges and trimming

The lower branches of small oak tree. £250.00

• Severn Trent Water, final charges for water supply to Breakheart Hill. £13.94

(2) The Council approved the schedule of quotes for work:

• ICT Vision Training half day on new website. To include document upload and on-going site maintenance:

£200.00

(3)The Council acknowledged from The Clerk receipt of the statement of Council balances.

(4)The Council acknowledged from The Clerk the statement of Bank Reconciliation. This identified all Council transactions over the last seven months.

(5) The Council agreed the date of the 28^th of November for the autumn informal Finance meeting prior to budget and precept setting.

4. (1)The Council received and approved a verbal Report on the Cemetery from the Clerk. (Report aside). The Clerk reported parishioner compliments about the recent Council work in the cemetery had been received. Councillors noted the recent painting of the cemetery gate and immediate railings in black as the recommended colour for hard wearing use. Councillors identified the garden of remembrance for consideration for further improvements. The Chairman undertook to arrange a site visit with a local contractor to look at options for, scraping, spraying, and treating moss and lichen, on the main cemetery path.

(2).The Council received and decided upon a written report on St Martin’s Churchyard Closed. (Report aside). Councillors acknowledged the Clerk’s report on the churchyard. She reported that she had produced a photographic record documenting the condition of the main churchyard wall at the end of October which she would submit to councillors separately. Councillors noted the importance of setting aside some funds each financial year for wall maintenance. The Chairman undertook to review the growth of ivy on the wall and also the telegraph pole behind. For major future works to the wall, the issue of road closure and the costs associated were noted.

4. To consider developments towards the Council’s new website (report aside). The Clerk informed councillors that major design and software work was nearing completion on the new website. The software developer had let the Clerk know the site was not far from “Live status”. However the Clerk noted that final checks needed to be made to ensure that all appropriate documents had been transferred to the new site. The main outstanding issue was the automatic uploading of Planning Alerts to the new site. Cllr K Tucker and Cllr D Palmer agreed that it was a matter of receiving these as a direct output from the Planning authority and K Tucker undertook to pursue the issue of the correct format for this with Stroud District Council.

4. To consider date for January 2017 Council meeting. The Council confirmed this as Monday 9^th of January due to the Bank Holiday on the 2^nd of January.

4. The Council noted for information details of Correspondence & Messages received during October. The Clerk highlighted receipt of a letter from Stroud and District Motor Club giving forward notice of a local event in February 2017. Councillors discussed the receipt of correspondence concerning the future of BT boxes in the Parish. Options for their future would be looked at including possible painting of them. Councillors noted that workmen had been seen replacing the telecommunications box at Warren Hill. BT had previously said they would keep the Council informed of this work on a regular basis. The Clerk undertook to contact BT for a regular update on the work.

4. There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.10 pm.

The Chairman announced the next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 5 December 2017 at 7.30 pm. The Clerk acknowledged receipt of a councillor apology for the December meeting.